The portal rolls on into the “dead period” of the window, which just means no player can visit during the next three days. That doesn’t mean players can’t commit and Texas can’t continue to build out this class. Yesterday was the best day of this portal cycle by far for the Longhorns, locking up Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers. We talked about those two pickups yesterday, but the good news did not stop there, with much of it surrounding retaining Longhorn starters from last season.
Retention Efforts
Adding Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers gave Texas possibly the best group of skill players in the country. The work up front still needs to be done, and a major part of that was getting Trevor Goosby to return to Austin.
Well, that became official yesterday and the Longhorns left tackle will be back to defend Arch Manning’s blind side in 2026. He likely passed up a first round grade to come back for two reasons: Win a National Championship and jump from the 28th pick to the 8th pick, and there’s a chance he can do both.
Another name that was more debated, but I always felt was important to keep on the 40 Acres is Connor Robertson. He announced his return yesterday, giving Arch Manning the same center heading into 2026, which can be a gamechanger. Robertson has been in this offense for a very long time and improved drastically late in the season. I expect him to take a major leap in 2026, especially if Texas can add two strong OGs next to him.
Finally, it was over to the defensive side for the final retention effort of the day. Zina Umeozulu, junior edge defender, has decided to not enter the transfer portal and return to Austin instead. That was not the position of need OL was, but still a major player to retain and possibly finish the Longhorns work in the portal up front defensively. Wendell Gregory and Caleb Herring are still names to watch at EDGE, but this could make Texas less willing to attack those recruitments going forward.
Michael Bennett III – OL Yale
It hasn’t all been good news for Texas, with Michael Bennett III, the versatile Yale OL, has committed to Oregon. It was always a worry that if he got off campus, it would be hard to reel him back in and that ended up being the case. This is a miss for the Longhorns, but not one they cannot bounce back from. There are still multiple targets to watch on the offensive line, including two starting level players, who we will talk about right now.
Delano Townsend – OL Ole Miss
This was the name that caught everyone’s eyes once he found his way into the portal. Townsend is coming off a year where he started 13 games for the Rebels, all at LG. He will bring immediate SEC level starting play at one of the guard positions, locking up a 4th spot on the offensive line. There is clear interest from Texas and he would come in with two years of eligibility, another massive selling point. Given it’s the dead period, we won’t see Townsend on a visit, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out a commitment before Wednesday.
Joe Brunner – OL Wisconsin
This recruitment has taken a (possibly) interesting turn. Joe Brunner, All-B1G OL from Wisconsin, visited Indiana this weekend with the Hoosiers viewed as the heavy favorite. Such heavy favorites, most thought he would not leave Bloomington without putting pen to paper, but he has. What that means is hard to know, outside of it gives Texas more opening to pull this recruitment off. It’s fair to assume the betting favorite would still be Indiana, but I didn’t expect to be talking about Brunner today, at least not with the recruitment still going on. The door is open. Can Texas find a way to get this done?
Former Longhorns Commitments/Departures:
CJ Baxter commits to Kentucky: The Kentucky Wildcats continue to pilfer from the Longhorns roster, adding CJ Baxter this time around. It was thought Indiana was the heavy favorite for Baxter, but he chose Will Stein and the Wildcats. I expect him to find his way back to his freshman form if he can stay healthy.
Jamie Ffrench commits to Michigan: The young, talented WR has officially joined the Wolverines, meaning the Longhorns could see Ffrench in 2027. Ffrench didn’t get on the field consistently at Texas, but the ability is elite and I expect a strong year in 2026.
Christian Clark enters the portal: This was the collateral damage of Hollywood Smothers joining the Longhorns, something I’d say is a win for the Longhorns. Funnily enough, it seems Alabama is a team to watch early in Clark’s recruitment.
Daniel Cruz commits to NC State: The Longhorns depth center has found a new home in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is a fantastic landing spot with a talented QB in CJ Bailey behind him and a true chance to start.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Portal Rumors: After skill-player haul, OL has taken centerstage
Reporting by Tommy Bresee, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
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